ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. march — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rule — government
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. present — the time now
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kid — to tease
  12. march — the month
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bank — for money
  15. present — there
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rule — a law
  19. march — the month
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — a stone
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com